Engine



June 21, 1932.

F.. .1. HOLMES ENGINE 'Filed Feb. 27, 1930 2 sheets-sheet 1 June 21, 1932.

F. J. HOLMES 1,864,248

ENGINE Filed Feb. 27. 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 @norm d g.,

Patented June 21, 193.2 t 1,864,248

- narra-.1.) STATES PATENTE OFFICE riannnaxcx anonime, or nn'rnorr, moment ENGINE Application meu sebum-y av, leso. smal m. asians.

This invention relates to an internal com- Figure 1 is a lon 'tudinal section through bustion engine of that type utilizing spaced an en gine having t e present improvements annular series of cylinders, the cylinders of combmed therewith. each series alining with the corresponding F1gure21s an lrregular sectlon through the 5 cylinders of the opposed series. m otor takensubstantlally on the line 2-2,

It is old, in enginesof this type, to connect F lgure 1'. the corresponding pistons in the op osed Figure 3 1s 'a plan v1ew of one end portion cylinders by rods and'to utilize thesero sfor of aconnecting rod, adJacent parts belng transmitting motion to a cam carried by a 4shown-in sectlon.

10 shaft rotatable between the cylinders of the v Referrlng to the I igures by characters of -50 opposed series. reference f1 and 2 designate metal drums pro- In engines of the type mentioned considylded at their centers wlth bearings3in which' erable diiiculty has been encountered be- 1s Tournaled a shaft 4. 1 cause, due to the excessive resistance from the Each 0f the drums lszpr'ovlded with annudriven cam, the connecting rods have been 18.1` series ofparallel cyllnders 5. The two g5 subjected to torque and lateral strains which drums are spaced apart and can be held have distorted the rods, pushed them out of agalnst rotatlon by any suitable means..

line, and subjected the pistons to such lateral Interposed between the fdrums and fixedly' i orradial strains as 'tocause them to bind exsecured to shaft 4 is a cam 6.

cessively on the walls of the cylinders. Con- The cylinders in each drum are in aline- 7o i sequently the cylinders and pistons have been ment withl the corresponding cylinders of unabletostand up underthe strains and it has the opposed drum and slidably mounted in been impossible to produceapractical engine. each cylinderl is a hollow piston 7 in the It is an object of the present invention to open end portionY of which is mounted a provide means, in anengine ofthe type mendiametrical pin 8. As shown in Figure 3 75 tioned, whereby distortion of the connecting the pin 8 is angular in cross section and it 'rods by twisting or bending iseliminated by 1s to be understood that all of the pins are the use of a floating connecting rod having disposed radially relative to the shaft 4.

a guide. The pistons in theopposed alining cylin- 30 It isalsoanobject to so connect therods Aders are lconnected by rods 9. These rods ao tothe pistons that any-'radial movements o f are preferably T-shaped in cross section and the rods due to wear, etc., will not produce a. each1 rod is provided at its ends with anguf Corresponding movement of the pistons but lar openings 10 through which pins -8'exsaid pistons, on the contra-ry, will be relieved tend. An extension 11 is carried bythe at al1-times from radials'trains and will middleportionfofeach'rod and hasmean's, a5 reciprocate freely during theoperation of -such as a roller 12, for operatively engagthe engine withoutcausing excessive wear. 1 ing Athe cam 6.

With the foregmgand other objects in f It is to be understood that each cylinder view which will appear as the description isggto be' equlpped with suitably operated proceeds, the invention resides in thegcombi- Vabres-13 and '14. for controlling the intake' 90 i' nation and arrangement of parts andinthe of fuel and the exhaust of spent gases. details' of construction hereinafter described Suitable timing means, not shown, can be and claimed, it being understod that changesl provided and it is designed to have the in the precise embodiment of the invention charges in the several cylinders explode sucherein disclosed may be madewithin the scope cessively so as to operate the pistons in rapid 95 i of whpt is claimed without departing from succession.

the splrit of the invention. During the reciprocation of the pistons the accompanying .drawings the premotion will be transmitted therefrom ferred form of the invention has been shown. through the rods 9 to the cam and this ycam In said will be rotated so as to drive shaft 4. A. r- 12- l tain amount of radial movement of the rods independently of the pistons is permitted because of the sliding engagement of the pins 8 b the rods 9. Conse uently the pistons wil be unaifected by suc i radial movement of the rods and will not be caused to thrust radially against their cylinders.

-' For the purpose of resisting radial movement of the rods-and bending or twisting thereof, each of the rods is provided with guiding means. This guiding means includes plates 15 suitably secured to the adjacent drum close to the open end of the cylinder. Arms 16 extend from the plates to opposite sides of the rod to be guided and journaled in theV arms is a roller 17 adapted to extend transversely of and to engage the outer surface of the rod 9. A side roller 18 is i carried by each arm- 16 and these side rollers engage the sides of the rod 9. Thus it will be seen that any tendency of the rod to bend y ing the rod against outward 50 in any direction will be resisted by the rollers.

It will be apparent that by providing fioating connecting rods. it becomes possible to produce a motor of the type herein described capable of operating at very high speeds. Such a motor will also be able to stand up for a long periodof time because the working arts are not subjected to excessive strains ue to distortionl ofthe connecting rods.

As shown in Figure pins as well as movement lengthwise of the pins.- Thus the rod is free to shift both laterally and radially of the pistons to compensate for wear'and distortion and to allow the pistons to remain in alinement. Further.-

morethe iston rodi) is always parallel with the path of movement, of its pistons so that the lines of force remain parallel with the rod and no distortion will result as in structures wherein the rods are obliquely disposedrelative to the pistons at any or all times.

What is claimed is:

l. An internal combustion engine including spaced alining` cylinders, pistons therein', a rod having a slidable connection with each of the pistons, lguiding means for holdling, and power transmitting means operatively connected to the rod.

2. An internal combustion engine including spaced alining pistons, a rod connected at its ends to the pistons for sliding movement radially of the pistons along either of two intersecting lines in each piston, a shaft, and means operated by the ieciprocation of the rod for driving the shaft.

3. An internal combustion engine including opposed alining cylinders, a piston ineach cylinder, an angular pin' disposed diametrically. within each piston, a connecting rod mounted at its ends on the respective pins for sliding movement longitudinally and transversely of the pins, a shaft, and

y Bthe connecting rod 'is capable of lateral movement relative to its and lateral buckmeans operated b the rod when `reciprocated for driving the s aft.

4. An internal combustion engine including opposed alining .c linders, a piston in each cylinder, an angu ar pin. disposed dianietricall within each piston, a connecting rod slida le at its ends on the respective pins to slide longitudinally and transversely of the pins, means for holding'the rod against outward and lateral bending while reciprocating with the pistons, a shaft, and means for transmitting motion between the shaft and the rod.

5. An internal combustion engine including spaced alining cylinders, a piston in each cylinder, a diametrically disposed pin in each piston, a rod connecting the pistons and mounted at its ends on the pins to slide longitudinally of the pins and transversely thereof and of the path of movement of the pistons, anti-friction guides for the rod, and means for transmitting motion from holding the rod against outward and lateral bending. A y

6. An internal combustion engine including spaced alining cylinders, a piston in each cylinder, a diametrically disposed pin in each piston, a rod connectingthe pistons and mounted at its ends on the pins, to slide longitudinally `of the pins and transversely thereof-and of the pistons, separate guides connected to the respective cylinders for holding the rod against outward and lateral distortion, a shaft, landi-,means for transmitting motion between the shaft and the rod.-

. 7. An internal combubtion engine including opposed aligning cylinders, pistons guided'therein for right-line movement, guidingi ed therein for right-line movement, guiding means between the cylinders, a `piston rod mounted for right-line reciprocation in the guiding means and connections' between the piston rod and pistons permitting independent shifting of the ends of the rod along inter'secting diametrical lines in the pistons to which they are connected, said connectionsv each including a diametrically disposed pin secured in a piston and angular in cross section, there being a slot in the end portion of the rod through which the pin extends, the

walls of the slot and the pin cooperating to prevent independent movement of the rod and pin in the direction of the length ofthe rod but permitting sliding movement of the rod transversely of the pin and lo gitudinally thereof. W

9. An internal combustion engine includl ing opposed aligning cylinders, pistons mounted'for reciprocation therein, a rod connecting the pistons and .Y movable relative thereto along intersecting diametrical lines in the pistons, said rod and the pistons being disposed along lines parallel with the longitudinal axis of the aligning cylinders.

l0. An internal combustion engine including opposed aligning cylinders, pistons guided therein for right-line movement, guiding means between the cylinders, a rigid piston rod mounted for right-line reciprocation in the guiding means and direct between the piston rod and pistons permitting independent' sliding of the ends of the rod along intersecting diametrical lines in` the pistons to which theyare connected.

11. An internal combustion engine includ-4 ing opposed aligning cylinders, pistons mounted for reciprocation therein, a rigid rod directly connecting the pistons, each end being slidable relative to the adjacent. piston along `intersecting diametrical lines in the piston, said rod 'and the pistons being disposed along lines parallel with the longitudinal axis ofthe aligning cylinders.

l2. An internal combustion engine including opposed series of fixedly connected cylinders, pistons withinthe respective cylinders, a carn,ba1*sprojecting into opposed pistons of the two series, means connectingach bar to its pistons for radial movement in the pistons along two intersecting lines, and antifriction devices engaging the bars to hold them against outward radial and lateral displacement.

13. An internal combustion engine comprising a shaft, two annular series of cylinders arranged around -said shaft, corresponding cylinders of the respective series being axially alined, a piston within `each cylinder, a bearing element carried by each piston, a

rigid bar directly connected at its ends with the bearing elements of each related pair of pistons for lateral movement relative tothe pistons ina direction radially-with respect to said shaft and also for lateral movement in a direction at right angles to the direction of the first mentioned movement, a cam on said shaft, and a connection between each bar and said' cam whereby reciprocation of the pistons and the bars produces relative rotation between the cylinders and the shaft.

14. An internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 13 including guide means for the bars to resistlateral thrust imposed on the b ars by the reaction of the connections of the bars with the cam.

In testimony that I.. claim the foregoing as my'own, I have hereto aiixed my signature.

FREDERICK J. HOLMES.

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